1760 Abigail Adams

1763 Chiné Silk Stripe

Product Description

This reconstructed silk design is based on an original salesman’s sample book from about 1763, showing fashionable dress silks presented to clients before seasonal orders were placed. The striped layout and ikat floral motif create a refined textile suitable for historically accurate garments with strong vertical movement and elegant visual rhythm.

The design combines soft blurred florals with striped grounds, reflecting the characteristic appearance of chiné silks woven for the mid-18th century market. The controlled repetition gives the fabric a decorative yet structured quality, making it especially effective for garments where the pattern must support cut, proportion, and silhouette.

Well suited for

Waistcoats and Banyans. The vertical stripe structure and floral arrangement also make this design suitable for other 18th-century garments where elongated pattern flow, refined silk character, and historically accurate proportion are important to the final result.

Design & Historical Context

This design is based on dress silk samples from around 1763, preserved in a travelling salesman’s sample book. Such books were used to present new colours and fashionable patterns to customers before production orders were placed. The original reflects the commercial silk trade of the period and the popularity of striped chiné and ikat-inspired
floral silks.

Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was the second First Lady of the United States and one of the most politically engaged women of her time. Because of her influence and strong opinions, political opponents sometimes referred to her as “Mrs. President.”

As John Adams’s close confidante, she was well informed about political affairs and also managed important family financial matters, including investments. Her intelligence, independence, and force of character made her one of the most remarkable women of the late 18th century.